PAGE 3, line 18, for artificial read arithmetical.-p. 8, 1. 23, read as it is the divine.-p. 9, 1. 1, for h's read their. -p. 25, 1. penult, for found, read framed.-p 29, 1. penult, for authorities read authority-p. 31, 1. 3. for his read its. p. 37, 1. 19, dele t-p. 90, 1 27. for with read and.-p. 93, 1. 4, for at read of.-p. 139, 1. 7, read councils for two. p. 145, 1. 3. for is read are. p. 159, i. 1, for are.—p. avry read vary. 1. 23, read wpoσsetas.—l, 26, read libellam.p. 161, l. 15, ɛvms Exuloυ.—p. 176, 1. ult. after derision add &c.. Deputies from.-p 231, 1, 2, read the newly established.-p. 243, 1. 7, for this See read this System, ibid. del. as-p. 248, 1.6, dele the.—265, 1. 27, read υγιαίνων. - Ρ. 267, 1. 2, read become. p. 316, l. 27, for this right, read the right. p. 323, 1. 13, read einpov.—p. 348, l. 11, read revolution.-p, 379, 1. 4, read later.—p. 392, 1. 17, for not read most; ibid, after them read as well as.-p, 397, 1. 16, read gained.-p. 417 at bottom, add. Polycarp. ad Philipp. -p. 428, transpose back the note to 427.-p. 455, 1. 26, read Christo.-p.506 1. 28, read resents.-p. 512, l. 20, read cause. p. 519, Note, for on read no.-p. 527, note, read alluding.-p, 535. note, l. 3, for not only is read is totally.—p. 563, 1. 10, read, Statuere,-p. 661, 1. 9, for signpost, read, saintship.-p. 772. 1. 14, read confirmetur.

CHURCH

ON

GOVERNMENT.

LETTER I.

REVEREND SIR,

IN our late discourse on Columbanus, you professed yourself a convert to my opinion of that writer; you thought him to be mischievous; you judged that it would be meritorious to detect him. I answered, that the opinion of mine, to which you had lately acceded, was given about sixteen months ago; that it was no sooner uttered than slighted as the suggestion of a choleric, or officious man. For I was then informed that it would be a great misemployment of idleness to further Columbanus into partial notice, and thus to gratify an ambition, which courted celebrity by rioting on the highway. It was added, that wicked as the assault had been, the complexion of his hostility was such as not only to atone for the scandal with every man who

B

who relishes decent English, but with the most uneducated of Catholics, to affix a heavy presumption of evil mind and evil dealing upon his Latin and Irish manuscript quotations.-I reminded you of those reasons formerly alleged to me, and that, in consequence, I did not press my opinion further.

You also mentioned in our last conversation, that you had seen a second and a third publication by Columbanus; to this my reply was, that I had read a fourth letter, and that, if left to my own judgment, I should decide, that Columbanus is a writer, not to be answered by me: because his fourth letter announces, that a fifth is about to see the light, nor is it possible to calculate in what ratio of exasperation this letter-writing malady will proceed, or at what distance of time it will betoken a crisis. I confessed myself inadequate to meet an adversary so gifted, and most unwilling to stake possibly the entire of my life. against the continuance of his disease. This excuse I professed to hold in common with the many: but I also shewed a personal claim to exemption. I stated, that when first this author sallied forth, Columbanus was the nom de guerre, and nothing more, of an adventuring pamphleteer. It was every man's right at that time, to rally or to reprimand an incognito who abused the privileges of masquerade. On this footing I too was willing to challenge the feigned old hermit with the extemporary beard. Soon after, Columbanus was avowed as the motto of an Irish Roman Catholic, -of a priest,-of one possessing a family name, most popularly

popularly respectable in Ireland; and himself connected in the nearest degree of blood with a person I have long admired; to whose candour, ancient fidelity, and trusty patriotism, I bear a public testimony in honour to unambitious and uncommon virtue. When I stated this, I moreover declared, that although I am not to be deterred by private regards from assisting the cause of truth, yet, if I were to appear against Columbanus, I should be so far swayed by my anxiety and deference for such a brother, that the right would be compromised: I must relinquish all those topics which cannot be adverted to, unless with the weapon of severity and reproba tion: I must level the answer to mere disproof, as if that falsehood, which attempts to scatter pestilence on the walks of society, were but a mistake in logic, or an artificial blunder.

You approved of my feeling, and insisted, at the same time, on my performing what I could, for the defence of truth, that had been assaulted, as I myself confessed, with incendiary malice. You predicted, that my silence would receive no other construction than that of flattery, if called on, as I allowed, by the duty of friendship, and by the voice of conscience I obeyed the former, and yet suppressed a testimony to what I believed.

This surmise I instantly determined to repel. This charge, at least, will be obviated in the present and the following letters. Whether I shall succeed beyond this point, others will determine; but your

judgment shall be enough for me. This however I will declare; unless I shall have vindicated the best of causes, I will care nothing for the justification of my name. Well may reputation be entrusted to that, in which all our futurity is comprehended.

I shall begin therefore with that assertion of Columbanus, which, if not the most alarming, is the most whimsical of his numerous discoveries in the province of Catholic religion. I mean his assertion, that

priests of the second order have a right to sit in councils and to judge of faith and discipline." This doctrine he has continued to maintain, from the beginning, with a respectable courage and with no mean display of controversial tactics; sometimes asserting the right to priests generally, (as we affirm it to be generally that of bishops ;) again, restraining it to parish priests; at other times declaring it to be a divine right in priests; and lastly, pronouncing, that "priests of the second order in the cure of souls, have the right." for which he contends.

Although Columbanus may not now expressly term this right divine, as he formerly declared it to be; yet his proposition either amounts to this, or all controversy on the subject is at an end, as I will show hereafter. For the present, I will merely remark, that, even in this his last production, the arguments of Columbanus are either meant to shew this right to be as divine in priests, as in bishops, or that they have no meaning whatsoever,

Columban. 4th Letter p. 45-6.